Confessional Ameliorate Church of Dundorf
The Confessional Ameliorate Church of Dundorf (Dundorfian: Bekenntnisverbesserungskirche Dundorf) is an Independent Confessional and Ameliorate ecumenical church based in Dundorf. Established in Dunlake in 1570, the Church was formed in response to the segregationalism and rigidity of the Tasselism theology which was commonly practised at the time by Dunners/Duntrekkers. Approximately a third of the population of modern Dundorf belongs to the Church, making it the largest religious population in the country. History - Founded in 1570 in first meeting of Holy Synod of Dundorf; "founder" was Rev. Götz Rainer Immendorff - Sanctioned by King Karl Gustav VI; who became first Hoher Ehrwürdiger Bischof (High Reverend Bishop) - worked to unify doctrine - Two Branches Ameliorate Branch Lutheran Branch Beliefs The First Church of Dundorf is no longer a State Church with the abolition of the Church as the official religion of Dundorf - man cannot do anything to obtain salvation, only God aids you in doing so; God initiates (unconditional election) - public worship in a church guided by minister is necessary (regulative principle of worship); God says how to worship in Bible, and prohibits everything else - total depravity doctrine that all mankind is enslaved to sin from the moment of birth - relationship between God and man is a covenant and cannot be changed by man; - God is present in all realms of earthly life The Holy Trinity The Church, as most Hosianism denominations, adheres to the principle of the triune or trinity; the belief that God is three-in-one as the Father, the Spirit & Son (Eliyahu). Eliyahu Faith and Reason Sin Belief in total depravity - The doctrine of total depravity (also called "total inability") asserts that, as a consequence of the fall of humanity into sin, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin. People are not by nature inclined to love God with their whole heart, mind, or strength, but rather all are inclined to serve their own interests over those of their neighbor and to reject the rule of God - point of contention between Ameliorate & Independent Confessional branches Salvation Ameliorate Branch - complete ruin of humanity's ethical nature against a backdrop of the sovereign grace of God in salvation. - all people are entirely at the mercy of God, who would be just in condemning all people for their sins, but who has chosen to be merciful to some. - One person is saved while another is condemned, not because of a foreseen willingness, faith, or any other virtue in the first person, but because God sovereignly chose to have mercy on them. - every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin. People are not by nature inclined to love God with their whole heart, mind, or strength, but rather all are inclined to serve their own interests over those of their neighbor and to reject the rule of God. - God is at work in all realms of existence, including the spiritual, physical, and intellectual realms, whether secular or sacred, public or private, on earth or in heaven. Independent Confessional Branch - salvation through faith alone - all who trust in Eliyahu alone can be certain of their salvation, for it is in Eliyahu's work and his promises - no predestination to damnation; eternal damnation is a result of the unbeliever's sins, rejection of the forgiveness of sins, and unbelief Role of the Church Decentralization of Doctrine , site of the first Holy Synod of the Confessional Ameliorate Church of Dundorf.]] The Church is intended to primarily serve as a symbol, stating to the world "This is an Independent Confessional Nation", as well as ensuring any church that wants recognition must not stray too far from the Bible. Which is to say that individual Confessional denominations have a certain amount of freedom to determine their own Doctrine. The Church is intended to act primarily as a Statement of the Nation's Status as a Independent and Confessional Nation, not to determine rigid doctrine. As such, it allows sects such as Ameliorate or Independent Confessional to exist within it, and make their own doctrinal decisions regarding issues such as the godhood or manhood of Eliyahu, legitimacy of the Trinity, legality of polygyny, merits of works and acts etc. Structure - Headquarters = Neues Kirchenstadt - Ameliorate: Mix of Episcopal polity & presbyteries; - 3 bishops for international districts; all Ameliorate from ethnic Dundorfian immigrant areas Bishops - 20 diocese run by bishops; 200 presbyteries; 4,000 churches - 20 bishops run 10 national districts; split between 12 Ameliorate & 8 Independent Confessional bishops regardless of membership numbers Presbyteries ''Ökumenischer Konzil'' - The head of it's Ecumenical Council is the Hoher Ehrwürdiger Bischof Paul Reinhold Eusebius von Mahren. - Ecumenical Council; all 23 bishops plus 4 laity & 4 clergy from each diocese; elect High Reverend Bishop from amongst 23 bishops who hold position for life under good behavior (a new bishop is then chosen form within the eligible clergy) ''Hoher Ehrwürdiger Bischof'' List of Hoher Ehrwürdiger Bischof Affiliated Political Parties Nationalistische Partei Dundorf Category:Religion in Dundorf Category:Hosianism